Comparative study of the side effect profiles of oral misoprostol and parenteral oxytocin used in prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in Maiduguri Nigeria

Sadiq G. Uthman, Mairiga A. Garba, Ado G. Danazumi, Mairo U. Mandara, Nwaosu H. Sylvester

Department of Ethno-Pharmacy and Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Department of Maths and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Population and Reproductive Health Research Initiative of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hopspital, Zaria, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/ojog.2013.31A038                

Abstract

The following work compared adverse effects profile and patients’ acceptability of intra-venous oxytocin 10 iu and oral misoprostol 600 ug used in the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in the third stage of labour. A total of 1865 pregnant women who have received either oxytocin injection or oral misoprostol in third stage of labour as prophylaxis for postpartum haemorrhage, were enrolled within three health care facilities in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Each patient was observed at parturition and for 24 h after during which oral interviews were conducted and clinical notes studied. The oxytocin medication group exhibited higher abdominal pains (7.1% versus 0.0%; p < 0.001) and headache (1.9% versus 0.1%; p < 0.001), while the misoprostol group showed higher shivering (33.9% versus 0.0%; p < 0.001) and fever (19.7% versus 1.8%; p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in other side effects like nausea and vomiting. There was no statistically significant (p > 0.05) difference in patients acceptability of injectable oxytocin (99.3%) and oral misoprostol (98.3%). Oxytocin usage in the prevention of PPH was associated with abdominal pains and headache while misoprostol was associated with shivering and fever. Patients from this study have demonstrated high level of acceptability of both parenteral oxytocin and oral misopristol prevention of post-partum haemorrhage.

Keywords

Adverse Effects; Treatment Acceptability; Postpartum Haemorrhage; Misoprostol, Oxytocin

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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